More than 130 African ministers and experts have virtually convened from June 11 to 13, 2024 for the 2nd Extraordinary session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and ICT to ignite digital transformation across the continent amidst rapid evolutions in the sector fuelled by artificial intelligence (AI) technology and applications.
The Continental AI Strategy provides guidance to African countries to harness artificial intelligence to meet Africa’s development aspirations and the well-being of its people, while promoting ethical use, minimising potential risks, and leveraging opportunities.Â
These steps were reinforced during the 2nd Extraordinary session of the Specialized Technical Committee on Communication and ICT, aiming to propel Africa’s role in global digital governance and ensure that the unique challenges and contexts of Africa are addressed in the global discourse around digital technologies.
The Next Seven Steps Towards a Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy
- Harnessing AI for Development: African ICT and Communications Ministers endorsed a Continental Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy to leverage AI for Africa’s development goals, emphasizing ethical use and risk minimization.
- People-Centered AI Approach: The strategy emphasizes an Africa-owned, inclusive, and development-oriented approach to build AI capabilities in infrastructure, talent, datasets, innovation, and partnerships while ensuring protection from threats.
- AI for Diverse African Realities: Adapting AI to reflect Africa’s diversity, languages, culture, and contexts, aiming to create an inclusive AI ecosystem and a competitive African AI market.
- Building AI-Ready Environments: Developing human capital, research and innovation ecosystems, and an AI-ready regulatory environment to apply AI in education, health, agriculture, infrastructure, peace, security, and governance.
- Investing in Youth and Innovators: Focusing on investing in African youth, innovators, computer scientists, data experts, and AI researchers to succeed in the global AI arena.
- Adoption of the African Digital Compact: Endorsing the African Digital Compact, a vision for Africa’s digital future to foster sustainable development, economic growth, and societal well-being through digital technologies.
- Empowering Participation in the Digital Economy: Highlighting the importance of capacity building, knowledge transfer, and creating enabling ecosystems to empower Africa’s youth, private sector, and institutions for participation in the digital economy.
